Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Successful candidates will be offered a post-graduate educational programme specifically for the EMHP role delivered by Kings College London (KCL). The roles are funded at NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) bottom of Band 4, gaining credits towards a post-graduate diploma level qualification, plus guaranteed employment on successful completion of training, with a starting salary of the NHS AfC Band 5 scale with NELFT (please see both Band 4 and Band 5 Job Descriptions attached).

EMPHs are required to become registered practitioners on qualification, there are two registering bodies British Psychological Society (BPS) and British Association for Behaviour and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). These registrations do require membership and registration fees. Please discuss this during your training year.

The trainee EMHPs are funded by NHS England (formally HEE). More details around the funding of this course can be explained at interview. Candidates are not expected to pay their university fees, these posts are recruit-to-train posts, therefore, candidates will undertake their post graduate EMHP course alongside employment with NELFT as an EMHP trainee.

The university programme, which will begin in January 2026 and last 12 months, will be delivered through a combination of taught days, experience gained in education, wellbeing and mainstream mental health services, and independent self-guided study days. You will work with a variety of different age groups and families across the diverse population of Kent and Medway. 

As a trainee EMHP in NELFT, you will work under clinical supervision as part of a dynamic NHS mental health team in a creative environment. Evidence-based interventions, new ideas, ways of working and supporting children and young people are actively encouraged. This modern approach requires flexibility and adaptability, and above all a passion for working with children and young people specifically in educational settings.

The training year has both University learning and placement hours in school, predominantly in term time, therefore, we ask staff to use 80% of their annual leave in school holiday periods to prevent disruption to service delivery and the completion of the University Training Programme.

Key Responsibilities under supervision while Training:

• Delivering evidence-based intervention for children and young people in education setting with mild to moderate mental health problems
• Helping children and young people within these settings who present with more severe problems to rapidly access more specialist services
• Supporting and facilitating staff in education settings to identify and where appropriate manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing
• Working with and within education environments to afford better access to specialist mental health services

You will be joining an existing and growing team of EMHPs in NELFT who already work across other parts Kent and Medway these staff will also offer support in your training year as “buddies”. This additional support has been well received by previous trainees.

Closing date and Interviews for applications

See Advert (applications will close early if there are a high number of applicants).

Interviews will commence week beginning 13^th October 2025, and may span across a number of weeks.  

We look forward to your application and to working with you as a Trainee EMHP with NELFT in the named geographical areas.

Candidates with a full driving licence and access to a vehicle/able to effectively travel across the required geographical area is desirable.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.

We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Any development needs to help you succeed in the role, can be discussed at the interview stage.

Supporting Our Communities

At NELFT, we are committed to supporting and investing in our local communities. As part of this, we are prioritising applications from individuals who live within the areas we serve. This helps us build a workforce that truly reflects the diverse populations we care for, improves our ability to provide culturally informed services, and strengthens local employment opportunities. By recruiting locally, we aim to foster a more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable health and care system.

References

Please ensure that the references are from your most recent employer and one of these must be your direct Line Manager or Supervisor. You must provide professional email addresses for all referees as we will contact them as soon as an offer has been made. Please note we do not request references prior to interviews. Additionally, ensure that any gaps in your employment history are clearly indicated. All applications made through NHS Jobs account will be processed by TRAC System. Please note that some emails may go to your spam/junk mailbox so make sure you check this regularly.

Use of AI

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

If you like the sound of working with NELFT, don’t waste a moment and apply now!